Potato harvester



Sept, 16, 1952 E.YH.VHOLDEN 2,610,457

POTATO HARVESTER Filed Aug. 18, 1949 FIG. 4

INVEN TOR.

Patented Sept. 16, 1952 uN-IQTED g STATES PATENT OFFICE y .Porno HARVESTER Elmer H. Holden, Poplarville, Miss.

It is accordingly an object of this invention to provide relatively simple and inexpensive harvesting apparatus which may be constructed of readilyA available material which incorporatesno movingjparts and yet an` apparatus whichw'ill eicientlyV operate for the purpose intended.

`Anotherobject of the invention is toprovide harvesting apparatus which'may be convenientk1y attached to a relatively small vtractor or other draft appliance and which will serve to screen 1 the vegetables from the earth and deposit the' same upon the surface thereof` rearwardly of the t apparatus. i.

A further` objeetof the invention isto provide a harvestingdevice which by a simple modcato a tractor, a `portiononly of the tractor being shown vinthis view;

Fig, A2, aY rear elevation of the device; Fig. 3, a view similar to Fig. 1 with parts re- .moved andeparts shown in section of the device in operation and showing the manner in which vegetables are separated from the earthand deposited on .the surface thereof; Q, l

Figli, ,a view similar to Fig. 3, but. showing the device in use for facilitating the transplanting of small shrubs or trees; and, Y l

Fig. 5, a fragmentary exploded perspective view showing the way in which the device is modified for use, infacilitating the transplanting of trees With continued reference to the drawings there v A ppueation August 1s, 1949,seria1No. 110,999

s claims. (C1. -1s9) is shown in Fig. l the-drive Wheels I0 of a tractor vor other draft appliance, wheels Ii! being rotatably mounted on an axle II to which is secured draft 'bars I2 and "I3, Draft bars I3 are pivotally mounted on the-tractor and are adjustablevertically by rodsV or links" I4 secured thereto and to a vpower operated adjusting mechanism not shown. vThe"conventional tractor is provided with portions ofdraft bars I2 and I3 and the conventional power operated links ifi which are secured to the' structure.'

The harvesting apparatus comprises a subrstantially scoop-like structure havingk a main frame vI5 generally rectangular in configuration. this frame being provided with pivot pins l 6 and II'for attachment tovv the draft bars I2 and I3. Secured to the frame 'I5 and extending downwardly therefrom are side bars I8 and I9, these side barsbeing connected at their lower. ends by a cross bar 2Q. The forward edges of side bars Y I8 andI9 fand cross bar20 are beveled as at 2| to provide cutting edges. Y

`Cross bar 2i! is also connected to the frame I5 byinclined spaced brace bars' 22 and 23 secured at their' lower ends to the cross bar 20 and at their upper ends to the frame I5 adjacent the rear edge thereof. Bars 22 and 23 are connected to side bars I8 and I by substantially horizontally disposed spaced bars 24, these bars converging inwardly-from the side bars I8 and I9 to cooperatc in forming a scoop-like structure.

Substantially midway of the length of ybars 22 and 23l there are provided brackets 25 and 25 which are secured to the bars 22 and 23 by` welding or the like and which have portions 2'! and 28 spaced from the bars 22 and l23. These brackets serve to receive and support a cross member 29 which may be removablyv disposed between portions 21 and 2B and the bars 22 and 2&3V

and heldin position by pins 30 extending through apertures inl bars 22 and 23 and apertures 3i and 32 in the brackets 25 and 2B. Secured to cross member 29 and extending at substantially right angles thereto are spaced members 313 and 34 which, w-hencross member 29 is in position in the brackets 25 and 26, are received in slots 35 and 35 inthe cross bar Ztl. The space between Vcross member 29 and the lower surface or" y. framefl` is open `in order topermit objects such as potatoes or other vegetables to be harvested to pass'freely therethrough:

The frame I5 rmay be vprovided with side walls 31 and 3 8 to form a boxlike'i structure having a Ybottom Avi9- within 'which mayfbe deposited stones,

sandbags, or any otherdesired weight in order to properly ballast the device and cause sufficient penetration of the earth and to prevent undesired upward movement.

As shown in Fig. 3, potatoes or other vegetables 40 are deposited beneath the surface of the earth attached to the roots 4|. Prior to harvesting the plants 42 are substantially dead and the vegetable 40 is only loosely attached to the roots and is therefore easili7 separated therefrom. In operation the apparatusf'is Hpositionedfwiththe cross bar disposed beneaththe surface oflthefearth at a depth somewhat below the depth of the vegetable in the ground. Movement of the device in a forward direction by operationorthe tractor or other draft device results in 4thecutting' edges provided by the beveled portions Z-Isionthe side bars I8 and I9 and the cross bar 2i) severing the earth around the vegetablesand thus 'causing the vegetables to come in contact with therhorizontally disposed bars 24" and the spaced rearwardly inclined bars 22fand 23 and the,f spaced members 33 and 34. l The I.earthis substantially pulverized by contact with these members `and passes through the spaces therebetweennwhile the vegetables 40 are screened therefromand move upwardly andrearwardly over .thelcross member 29 .to be deposited .on the surface ofthe-earth to therear of the device. flheevegetables may then be picked up and bagged. or otherwise vdisposed of in any desired manner.

In order to utilize the devicefor'facilitating the transplanting of small treesf43 such as-are commonly found in nurseries;itis-onlyA necessary to remove the-pins f.and.crossmember 29 together with spaced inclined members 33 and 34, thus providing an unobstructed rectangular opening in the rear of the device through which the-trees 43 may pass. As showniirr Fig. 4Jthe apparatus is. position-ed, withthe cross. bar v20. disposed in the earth below the` normal 'depthof the roots 44 of the tree43glthe .cutting edges formed by the beveled portions ZI-'serving to sever the earth on-three sides of the treeroots without damaging the same Thetrunkfof the tree .passes throughthe rectangular opening in the' rear of y'the device lafter which" it is only necessary to operate theapparatus at right angles to the rst path of operation in order to severy the'earth on all sides of the tree. i"After-"com-Y pletion of this operation the tree', together withl a mass of earth surrounding the" roo-ts, may be bodily lifted 'out of the ground and wrappedv in burlap or other desired materialior transportation or transplanting thereof.

It will be seen that bythe above invention there has' been provided a"relatively simple, economically constructed Vdevice which will eiii'- ciently operate both as a vegetable harvester and by a simple'alteration to facilitate the transplanting of small trees or shrubsythe device requiring no moving parts and consequently very little upkeep andbeing capable of withstanding anyof'the 'ordinary shocks encounteredin usesV of this kind.` With the structure employed, should large obstacles vappear 'in' the path of movement thereof, the device may be'conveniently vlifted by operation of rodsV I4 attached to the power operated mechanismv Within the tractor, theV device being' returned' to .original position after clearing. the obstacle.

It will be obvious to" those skilled inthe art that various changesA may beinthe invention without departing fromrthe spirit Yand rscope thereof and therefore the invention is not limited by that which is shown in the drawings and described in the specification but only as indicated in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. Harvesting apparatus comprising a frame, draft means for moving said frame with relation to the earth, side bars secured to said frame and extending downwardly to the earth, a cross bar connecting the lower ends of said side bars, the forwardedgesflofz.saidside bars and said cross :bar beingbeveledito providecutting edges, rearwardly inclined spaced bars connecting said cross -fbar and said frame, a plurality of spaced substantially horizontally disposed bars connecting substantially midway between said frame and fsa-id cross bar, 'spaced members secured to said crossmember and removably secured to said cross bar whereby said cross bar and a portion of said side bars may be disposed below the surface of they Aearth and-,upon movement therethrough the earth will ^be. pulverized andV pass between said lhorizontally disposed Ybars and said spaced members, andI relatively large obstacles disposed in the earth in. the? path ofV movement of said apparatus will. bescreenedtherefrom to bedischarged .rearwardlygthrough the .space abovesaid crosswmember,andv weight receiving means pro-A videdoxrsaidframe .whereby said apparatus may be '-vi'reightedl sufficiently. to. 4prevent undesirable, upwardl vmovement thereof.

2. Harvesting ,apparatuscomprising a frame, draftmeansiorimoving said frame with Arelationitotheearth, side bars securedto said frame andextending downwardly, aicross bar connecting .the lower ends. of. said. side bars,V the forward edgesofsaidside bars .and said. cross bar being bevelecLto vprovide .cutting Ledges, rearwardly .inclined spaced barsiconnecting said cross bar and saidlframe, a wplurality,of. spaced substantially horizontally. disposed 4bars connectingsaid side bars and said inclined bars, a crossmember removably securedoto said inclined bars substantially midway Vbetween said frame and said. cross bar, spaced members secured to said cross member and removably ,secured ,to said cross bar whereby saidcross bar and a portionof said side bars maybe disposed .below the surfaceof the earth and upon movement therethrough the earth will be pulverized and pass between said horizontally disposed bars and said spaced members and relatively large obstaclesy disposedrin the earth in the vpath of movement of said apparatus will .be screened. therefromv and bedischarged Arearwardly through the space above said cross member, and weight receiving. means Y provided on said frame whereby said apparatus Y edges 'ofsaid side bars and saidcross bar being beveled to provide cutting' edges, rearwardly. inclined spaced bars'connectingsaid cross bar and said frame, a plurality of spaced substantially horizontallydisposed bars connecting said side ubars'and said inclined bars, a cross member secured to said inclined bars susbtantially midway between said frame and'said cross bar, spaced members secured to saidcross member and securedv tosaid cross bar whereby said cross bar and a portion of said side bars may be disposed below the surface of the earth vand upon movement therethrough the earth will be pulverized and pass betweensaid horizontally disposed bars and said spaced members and relatively largey obstacles disposed in the earth in the path of ficiently to prevent undesirable upward movement thereof.

4. Harvesting apparatus comprising a frame, draft means for moving said frame with relation to the earth, side bars secured to said frame and extending downwardly, a cross bar con- Y necting the lowerends of said side bars, the forward edges of said sidebars and said crossbar being beveled to provide cutting edges, rearf wardly inclined spaced bars connecting said cross bar and said frame, a plurality of spaced substantially horizontally disposed bars connecting said side bars and said inclined bars, a cross member secured to said inclined bars substantially midway between said frame and said cross bar, spaced members secured to said cross member and secured to said cross bar whereby said cross bar and a portionfof said side bars may be disposed below the surface of the earth and upon movement therethrough the earth will be pulverized and pass between said horizontally disposed bars and said spaced members and relatively large obstacles disposed in the earth in the path of movement of said apparatus will be screened therefrom and be discharged rearwardly through the space above said cross member.

5. Harvesting apparatus as defined in claim 1 in which said horizontally disposed bars converge inwardly from said side bars to form a scoop-like structure. n

6. Harvesting apparatus comprising a frame, draft means for moving said frame with relation to the earth, said frame including a rearwardly extending portion, side bars secured to said frame and extending downwardly, a cross bar connecting the lower ends of said side bars, the forward edges of said side bars and said cross bar being beveled to provide cutting edges, rearwardly inclined spaced bars connecting said cross bar and said rearwardly extending portion of said frame, a plurality of spaced substantially horizontally disposed bars connecting` said side bars and said inclined bars whereby said cross bar and a portion of said side bars may be disposed below the surface ofA earth and upon movement therethrough the earth will pass between said inclined bars and be severed on three sides of obstacles disposed in the path of movement of said ap- 6 paratus, said obstacles also passing between said inclined bars.

7. A harvester comprising a draft frame, a pair of side bars arranged in spaced side by side relation extending downwardly and lsecured vat their upper ends to said frame, a cross bar secured at its ends to the lower ends of said side bars, a pair of spaced brace Ibars arranged in spaced relation and extending from said frame downwardly and forwardly to said side bars, the upper ends of said brace bars secured to said frame rearwardly of said side bars andthe lower ends of said brace bars secured to the lower ends of said side bars, horizontally disposed vspaced bars extending from the side bars and converging inwardly to the corresponding brace |bars, a cross member removably secured to said brace bars intermediate the upper and lower ends thereof and spaced inclined members secured at one end to said cross member and removably supported at the other end in said cross bar.

. 8. Harvesting apparatus comprising a frame,V

draft means for moving said frame with relation to the earth, said frame including a rearwardly extending portion, side barssecured-to said frame and converging in a downward direction, a cross bar connecting the lower ends of said side bars, the forward edges of said side bars and said cross bar being beveled to provide cutting edges, rearwardly inclined substantially parallel spaced bars connecting said cross-bar and said frame rearwardly of said beveled edges, a plurality ofspaced substantially horizontally disposed bars connecting said side bars and said inclined bars whereby said cross bar and a portion of said side bars may be disposed below the surface of earth and'upon movement therethrough the earth will pass between said inclined bars and be severed on three sides of obstacles disposed inthe path of movement of said apparatus, said obstacles also passing between said inclined bars.

ELMER l-I. HOLDEN.

REFERENCES CITED The followingv references are of record in the file of this patent: f

UNITED STATES PATENTS Austria Aug. l25, 1902 

